Well drilling indicator



June 27, 1939. R. H. CARR ET AL 2,163,665

WELL DRILLING INDICATOR Filed July 15, I936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fiy. 5

INVENTORS Richard H Carr JA/ori'h MS axon Glen GZHebgrd Ybun erNeaZ G N I T S E T D N A G N I R U S A E M June 27, 1939. R H. CARR ET AL WELL DRILLING INDICATOR Filed July 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 1511 672020 (!07'Z'/ z MSaxEm en 2 ar ouner ea MEASURING AND TESTING June 27, 1939. 2,163,665

R. H. CARR ET AL WELL DRILLING INDICATOR Filed July 15, 1956 3 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTORS Richard H Carr WorZlzM Saxon Glen GHebard Yoan er eal wfi v latented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL DRILLING INDICATOR poration of Ohio Application July 15, 1936, Serial No. 90,784

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for determining the eifectiveness of well drilling by the percussion method in order that the drilling operation may be regulated to give the maximum efficiency.

It is customary practice in the art of oil production to determine the effectiveness of the drilling operation by feeling the polish rod or line. A man who is well experienced in drilling can determine whether or not the bit is striking bottom by the feel of the rod or line. However, it is not possible by this method to determine Whether the maximum benefit is being derived from the drilling.

The purpose and object of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby the effectiveness of the drilling can be continuously observed. By means of the invention it is not only possible to determine if the drilling bit is striking bottom or if the bit is being lifted off the bottom of the hole, but it is also possible to determine the point in the stroke at which the tools are striking bottom.

It is a well known fact that considerable stretching and contraction of the drilling cable takes place in percussion drilling. As a result, the drilling bit does not always move in the direction of the upper end of the cable but often moves in the opposite direction. At certain speeds of reciprocation of the walking beam to which the drilling cable is fastened, the drilling bit may not move at all but remains substantially motionless while the cable stretches and contracts.

By means of this invention the relative motion of the walking beam and the drilling bit can be determined and the speed and method of drilling, and the equipment used can be changed to avoid, to a large extent, harmonic motion of the drilling cable and thereby increase the efficiency of the drilling operation.

In accordance with the invention, the upper end of the drilling cable is fastened to an in verted cylinder which is partially filled with oil or other fluid and placed over a piston supported on one end of the walking beam. Variations of tension in the drilling line will produce varying pressure eifects on the oil or other fluid in the cylinder. The cylinder is connected to a gimbal to which pressure on the oil or fluid in the cylinder is transmitted through a piston or other pressure responsive means. The instrument is also connected to the walking beam or the drilling line in suitable manner to impart motion to the instrument in response to the stroke of the beam or line. A mirror is mounted on the instrument and a beam of light is projected on the mirror. The light is in turn reflected as a spot on a frosted glass or other suitable screen. As motion is imparted to the mirror, the spot of light moves on the screen. A perfect indicator card may be drawn on the glass or the glass may be appropriately marked with cross section lines to indicate pressure and stroke position. By watching the spot of light move on the frosted glass and comparing the outline it defines with the perfect card painted or otherwise imprinted thereon, the drilling equipment and, operating conditions can be changed until the outline defined by the spot of light approaches as closely as possible the outline of the perfect card.

In addition to the mechanism for obtaining a continuous picture of the operation of the drilling tools, suitable mechanism may be connected to the pressure transmitting piston and to the walking beam or drilling line to obtain a permanent chart record either continuously or intermittently.

Furthermore, a suitable signalling device such as flash lights, may be arranged to coact with the gimbal to indicate when the tension on the drilling line reaches or exceeds or falls below a predetermined amount.

In order to more fully comprehend the nature of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings of which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational crosssectional View of a portion of the apparatus forming part of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view of the recording instrument forming part of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral l indicates a walking beam of a conventional well drilling apparatus, fulcrumed at 3 on the Sampson post 5. The walking beam is adapted to be actuated in a reciprocating manner through the pitman I connected to the end 9 of the walking beam. A bearing support II is clamped to the opposite end l3 of the walking beam by means of the bolts l5 and nuts I! (Fig. 2).

The bearing support II is formed with a bearing surface at I9 in which is supported a cylindrical member 2|. A heavy hollow piston 23 is Welded to the cylindrical member 2|. The piston 23 is snugly mounted in a cylinder 25. Suitable rings 21 are fitted on the piston 23 in order to prevent leakage. The space 29 may be filled with oil or other suitable fluid. A line 3| is connected to the upper end of the cylinder in order to supply oil from time to time in order to keep the volume in the space 29 substantially constant. A second line 33 connects-the upper end of the cylinder to a recording instrument to be subsequently described.

A saddle 35 is supported by a cylinder 25 and welded thereto. The lower ends 31 of the saddle extend below the bearing surface I9 and are formed with openings to receive the temper screw T, 39. The bearing support II is formed with the opening 4| to permit the temper screw to be inserted in the ends 31 of the'saddle 35. The vertical portion 43 of the temper screw T is adapted to receive andsupport the polish rod (not shown) of the well drilling string.

The line 33 is connected to-the outer end of a cylinder 45 by means of a nipple 41. The cylinder 45 extends into a box or rectangular casing 49 through an opening 5| in the rear end wall 53 of the casing (Fig. 5). The casing may be made of wood, metal or other suitable material. The inner end of the cylinder 45 is formed with the flange 55 and is bolted to the plate 51 by means of bolts 59 and nuts 6|. The plate 51 is in turn supported within the casing 49 by means of the bolts 63 and nuts 65. The plate 51 is spaced from the rear wall 53 by means of the heavy coil springs 61. By mounting the plate 51 in this manner the plate can be adjusted or tilted in the desired direction.

A cylindrical member '69 is snugly mounted into the cylinder 45 and a lead gasket H is placed between the shoulders 13 and 15 of the cylinder 45 and cylindrical member 69 respectively in order to prevent leakage of oil. The cylindrical member 69 is forced tightly against the shoulder 13 by means of the nipple 41. The cylindrical member 69 is hollow and accurately machined to receive the piston 11 which is adapted to reoiprocate therein. The piston 11 extends beyond the inner end 19 of the cylindrical member 69 and the end of the piston is formed with the head 8|. A stem 83, formed integrally with the piston 11, is inserted into a recess in a connecting rod 81 and is fastened thereto by means of the pin 89. The stem 83 fits loosely in the recess 85 in order to permit a small amount of movement.

An adjusting member 9| is adapted to be screwed intothe plate 51 through an opening therein directly in line with the cylinder 45. The outer, end of the adjusting member is formed with the knurled head 93 in order to permit it to be screwed by hand or other means, and a hollow cylindrical member 95 having a flange 91 extending outwardly therefrom is mounted in the cylinder 45 against the inner end of the adjusting member 9|. A coil spring 99 is mounted in the cylinder 45 between the member 95 and a spring follower IOI loosely mounted on the stem 83 adjacent the flange 8| of the piston 11. The tension of the coil spring 99 is just sufficient to overcome the friction of the piston 11 in the cylindrical member 69 when the piston is in the rear-most position. By adjusting the member 9| inwardly, the tension of the spring 99 can be increased and in that manner the movement of the piston '11 for any given pressure on the rear end thereof can be lessened. The adjusting member 9| is held in locked position by the lock nut I03.

The outer end of the connecting rod 81 is pivotally connected by means of the pin I05 to an annular ring I01. The ring I01 is pivotally mounted at its sides on the cone-pointed set screws I09, which in turn are threaded in the brackets III. The screws 109 are retained in set position by means of the lock nuts H3. The brackets I II are rigidly mounted on the plate 51 by means of the bolts II5. It will be seen therefore that movement of the connecting rod 81 will cause the ring I01 to rotate about a horizontal axis passing through the set screws I09.

A spindle H1 is vertically mounted in the ring I01 in such manner as to permit it to rotate on a vertical axis. The lower end of the spindle is mounted on a cone-pointed set screw 'II9 which in turn is threaded in the ring I01 and retained in locked position by lock nut I2I. The upper end of the spindle passes through an opening I23 in the top-most point of the ring I 81. A mirror I25 is rigidly -mounted on the front of the spindle inside the ring I91.

A pen I21 is pivotally mounted on the bracket III at I29 and pivotally connected to the connecting rod 81 at I3I. The point I33 of the pen is in contact with the drum I35 of a standard scroll indicating mechanism.

A projector I31 (Fig. l) is mounted inside the casing 49 on the bottom thereof in such manner as to throw a beam of light on the mirror I25. The mirror in turn reflects the light as a dot on a frosted glass plate or other screen member I39 mounted in the casing near the front end thereof.

The upper end I 4| of the spindle H1 is connected by means of a flexible connection I43, which may suitably be made out of steel cable, to a shaft I 45 vertically mounted on the upper side of the casing 49. The shaft I45 is held in position by the collar I41 and has a large pulley I49 mounted on the outer end thereof and a smaller pulley I5I mounted thereon inside the casing. A second shaft I53, spaced from shaft I45, is mounted on the top of the casing in the same manner as the shaft I45 and has mounted thereon a large pulley I55 and a smaller pulley I51. A pulley I59 is mounted in a vertical direction inside the casing 49 adjacent the top thereof.

A flexible wire I 6| may be fastened, at one end, tothe walking beam at point 163 intermediate the fulcrum 3 and the end of the walking beam. The wire passes around a pulley I65 mounted on the Sampson post 5. The other end of the wire may be wrapped one or more times around the pulley I55 and is tied thereto at I61. Another flexible wire I 68 is tied to the small pulley I51 and may be wrapped around the pulley one or more times and then passed around the large pulley I49. The other end of the wire I68 is fastened to one end of the coil spring I10, the other end of which is fastened to a bracket I12 mounted on the top of the casing 49. A third flexible wire I14 is tied to the pulley I5I and wrapped around it one or more times after which it passes over the pulley I59 and wraps around the end I18 of the drum I35 and tied thereto.

It will be seen therefore that as the end of the walking beam, to which the drilling tools are attached, passes through its upward stroke, the wire I6I will cause the pulley I55 to rotate in a iii MEASURING AND TESTING counter-clockwise direction. Since the wire I68 is wrapped around the pulley I51 in the opposite direction from that which the wire IOI is wrapped around the pulley I55, it will cause the pulley I49 to rotate in a clockwise direction. This will in turn cause rotation of the pulley II to which the wire I14 is attached, and the string I14 will cause rotation of the drum I35 of the scroll mechanism.

On the down stroke of the end of the walking beam, the spring I will cause rotation of the various pulleys and shafts in the opposite direction and permit the drum of the scroll mechanism to assume position for the next up stroke of the walking beam.

During the up and down stroke of the walking beam the varying tension on the string of drilling tools is transmitted to the oil or other fluid in the space 29. The varying pressure effects produced on this oil or fluid is transmitted through the piston 11 to the annular ring I01. As the ring reciprocates about its horizontal axis, the beam of light is reflected from the mirror I25 in a vertical motion on the frosted plate I39. At the same time the spindle I I1 is being rotated on its vertical axis through the wire and pulley mechanism thereby imparting a horizontal motion to the beam of light on the frosted glass I39. As a result of the two motions being produced simultaneously, the dot of light thrown by the mirror on the frosted glass will trace an indicator card of the pressure effects transmitted to the piston IT at each point in the stroke of the walking beam. At the same time a permanent indicated chart record will be made by the scroll mechanism. I35.

It will be evident that by applying known pressure effects to the piston H, the distances through which the spot of light thrown by the mirror I25 on the frosted glass I39 will move for a certain amount of pressure, can be determined and these distances calibrated directly on the glass. By doing this it is possible at sight to determine the tension on the drilling string at any point in the stroke thereof.

If desired, a suitable signalling system may be connected with the apparatus to indicate when maximum and minimum tension effects in the line are occurring or are exceeded in order that the drilling operation may be corrected. For this purpose it is merely necessary to mount two contact points I80 and I82 on the plate 51 so that the ends thereof are spaced from the upper end of the ring I01 a distance equal to the movement produced by the maximum and minimum tensions. The end of one contact point will be located on one side of the ring and the end of the other contact point will be located on the other side at a distance exactly the same distance from the ring when it is in a vertical position. The contact points I80 and I82 should be insulated from the plate 51. The opposite ends of the contact member I80 and I82 are connected by suitable wiring to two lights I04 and I06-one preferably white and the other preferably redand these lights are connected in parallel to one pole of a battery I88 by means of line I89. The other electrode of the battery will be connected to the ring I01 by means of the line I90. It will tltidilill Item be apparent that as the upper end of the ring contacts one contact point, one light will light and when it contacts the other point, the other light will light.

By means of the apparatus just described, it is possible to continuously watch the operation of the drilling tools and keep the operation in continual adjustment to provide maximum efficiency. By changing the speed of the drilling operation from time to time or by changing the stroke of the walking beam by providing various motion obtainable by the use of cams instead of crank shaft operation, it is possible to obtain drilling effects which will closely approach those represented by a perfect indicator card.

What we claim is:

1. In apparatus for drilling wells in which the string of drilling tools is raised and lowered by a reciprocating means, means for transmitting stresses in said string to a pressure responsive means, a pivotally supported ring, means to cause oscillation of said ring about its axis of support through movement of said pressure responsive means, a reflecting surface pivotally mounted in said ring and adapted to oscillate on an axis perpendicular with respect to the axis of said ring, means for oscillating said reflecting surface about its axis in harmony with the stroke of said string, said means including a shaft, a flexible connection from said shaft to said axis, and means, operable to oscillate said shaft, connecting saidjshaft to said reciprocating means.

2. In indicating mechanism for use in connection with apparatus for drilling wells in which a string of drilling tools is raised and lowered by a reciprocating means, means actuated by fluid pressure to produce oscillation of a gimbalmounted reflecting surface about one axis, means to produce oscillation of said reflecting surface about its other axis including a shaft, a flexible connection from said shaft to said other axis, and means, operable to oscillate said shaft, connecting said shaft to said reciprocating means.

3. A dynamometer for use in connection with well drilling apparatus comprising a vertical piston having a horizontal cylindrical member on its lower end adapted to be supported by a bearing surface, a cylinder slidably mounted on said piston, means associated with said cylinder for supporting a string of drilling tools, and means for transmitting varying pressures in said cylinder to an indicating device.

4. A dynamometer for use in connection with well drilling apparatus comprising a vertical piston having a horizontal cylindrical member on its lower end adapted to be supported by a bearing surface, a cylinder slidably mounted on said piston, having a closed upper end with a passageway therethrough, a conduit connected to said passageway, a saddle mounted on said cylinder the lower ends of which saddle are adapted to receive a temper screw '1'.

RICHARD H. CARR. WORTH M. SAXON. GLEN G. HEBARD. YOUNGER NEAL. 

